Innovative approaches have presented considerable opportunity to revolutionize medicine through providing more automated and/or remote treatment options in a variety of contexts. The objectives are to provide improved care and accelerated treatment delivery while increasing efficiency to keep costs down. With two way communication channels, the medical professionals can be apprised of the patient's condition without an office visit and medical devices can be remotely reprogrammed or triggered.
Both muscles, bones and other tissues should be exercised or stressed to maintain strength/health. Also, bone fractures that are exposed to permissible weight bearing stress often heal more predictably and more rapidly than fractures that are not stressed at all. Improved healing based on application of appropriate stress is also believed to be true for connective tissue, such as ligaments and cartilage. Suitable stress can be applied to the tissue by the performance of selected exercises.
In particular, isometric exercises generally involves the exertion of force against an essentially immovable object. To perform isometric exercises, a restraining device can be used that has a substantially unchanging position for the duration of a particular exercise routine. Isotonic exercises involve exertion against the same weight or resistance through a range of motion. Isokinetic exercise is designed to mimic exertions that take place on a playing field or the like. When performing isokinetic exercises in a simulated environment, a machine is used to provide resistance in direct proportion to the exertion of the exerciser.
A difficulty with the application of stress to an injured tissue or combination of tissues is that the application of excessive stress can further injure the tissue rather than assist with the healing. Thus, the exercises need to be carefully planned to provide appropriate amounts of stress. Also, the performance of the exercises should be monitored closely by a physician, physical therapist or other appropriate health care professional to improve the effectiveness of the treatment and to reduce the risk of injury. The need to carefully plan and closely monitor the exercises provides a cost and motivation barrier to accessing desirable amounts of exercise.
For various injuries, disease or degeneration, implants can be used to replace or support natural structures. Thus, for example, replacement joints are commercially available to repair many faulty joints, such as the knee and hip. Also, other implants, such as pins, plates and the like can be implanted to permanently or temporarily repair or support, bone, ligaments, cartilage or the other bodily structure. In particular, various spinal cages, disc supports and the like can be used to repair spinal damage. Also, non-orthopedic tissues can be affected.